Best Cordless Drills for Beginners (and as a Gift): What Testers Found

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read our disclosure. As an Amazon Associate, Gerzsi earns from qualifying purchases. We did not test these drills ourselves: every verdict below comes from independent testers, linked in the text and in the Sources list. Gerzsi is a cartoon beaver; his building stories are just for fun.

From the workshop: Gerzsi has built three dams, a lodge and one very wobbly spice rack with nothing but his teeth. “Teeth are great,” he says, “until you need a hole that’s actually round.” So when he isn’t in the kitchen, he’s reading drill tests. Here is what the people with real test benches found.

The drills at a glance

Drill	Battery platform	Who it’s for	Tester verdict
Bosch 18V Compact Brushless 1/2″ Drill/Driver kit · Check on Amazon	18V	First drill, gift	Bob Vila, best under $100: “noticeably more nimble,” the only all-metal chuck in the test.
Black+Decker LDX120C 20V MAX · Check on Amazon	20V MAX	Lowest budget	Bob Vila, Best Bang for the Buck; the battery went out around the 25-minute mark.
Craftsman V20 1/2″ Drill/Driver kit · Check on Amazon	V20	Budget, long screws	Bob Vila, best value under $100: good with long screws, “markedly slower” with a 1-inch paddle bit.
Milwaukee M12 2407-22 3/8″ Drill/Driver · Check on Amazon	12V	Small hands, light jobs	Bob Vila, Best Light-Duty: the chuck gripped bits “as securely as the best ½ inch drills.”
DeWalt DCD1007 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill · Check on Amazon	20V MAX	Serious DIYer gift	Bob Vila, Best Heavy-Duty; Pro Tool Reviews, 2nd of 9 hammer drills (91 points).

1. Best first drill: Bosch 18V Compact Brushless kit

Bob Vila’s team tested six drills under $100 by drilling holes in 2×6 lumber, pushing a 1-inch paddle bit and driving long screws through stacked boards. The Bosch 18V Compact Brushless was their best overall pick.

The tester found it “noticeably more nimble than the bulkier models.” It was also the only drill in the group with an all-metal chuck, the part that grips the bit (Bob Vila). For a first drill, light and easy to hold matters more than raw power.

Good for: a first drill, a housewarming gift, someone who hangs shelves and builds furniture. Not for: drilling into concrete. It has no hammer mode.

2. Lowest budget: Black+Decker LDX120C 20V MAX

In Bob Vila’s main test of 13 drills, this one won “Best Bang for the Buck.” The reviewers note that its price is “among the lowest on the market.” The catch: in testing, the battery went out around the 25-minute mark (Bob Vila).

Good for: flat-pack furniture, curtain rods, the occasional picture frame. Not for: a deck, a shed or a long Saturday project. Gerzsi’s advice: keep the battery charged and the snacks ready.

3. Budget with more muscle: Craftsman V20 drill/driver kit

Bob Vila’s “Best Bang for the Buck” in the under-$100 test. It did well driving long screws into thick lumber. It was “markedly slower with our 1-inch paddle bit than the other drills” (Bob Vila).

Good for: screws, screws and more screws: fences, garden beds, a workbench. Not for: lots of big holes.

4. Small and light: Milwaukee M12 2407-22

A 12-volt drill is smaller and lighter than the 18V and 20V crowd. Bob Vila named the Milwaukee M12 2407-22 its Best Light-Duty drill. Its chuck “gripped straight-shaft drill bits as securely as the best ½ inch drills.” The downside: top speed in the low range is just 400 RPM (Bob Vila).

Good for: smaller hands, apartment fix-ups, cabinet hinges. Not for: big holes in thick wood.

5. The big gift for a serious DIYer: DeWalt DCD1007 20V MAX XR

This is the one two separate test teams rated near the top. Bob Vila named it Best Heavy-Duty: it “drilled ½-inch holes in wood faster than any other drill we tested,” though it’s “too bulky for comfortable general use” (Bob Vila).

Pro Tool Reviews ran nine high-performance hammer drills through screw, spade-bit, self-feed-bit and concrete tests. The DeWalt DCD1007 came second with 91 points and “top tier performance” (Pro Tool Reviews).

Good for: decks, sheds, masonry anchors, the person who already owns a toolbox. Not for: a first-timer who just wants to hang a mirror. It’s heavy.

Buying a drill as a gift: Gerzsi’s 3 rules

• Buy the kit, not the “bare tool.” A “tool only” box has no battery and no charger. Wrapping a drill that can’t turn on is a very beaver-level mistake.
• Check their battery family first. If they already own Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee or Craftsman tools, stay in that family. The batteries swap between tools of the same platform.
• Add a bit set. A drill without bits is a very expensive spinning stick.

FAQ

Does a beginner need a brushless drill?
Not necessarily. In Bob Vila’s main test, a brushed Ryobi drill performed “nearly identical to brushless drills in the same size and power range.” Brushless motors usually run cooler and stretch the battery further, which matters more on long jobs.

12V or 18V/20V?
12V is lighter and fits tight spots; the Milwaukee M12 above is a good example. For big holes in thick wood or a deck project, go 18V or 20V. Bob Vila’s testers put it simply about a 12V model: “This little drill won’t replace a full-power drill/driver.”

Is 20V MAX stronger than 18V?
Usually not. “20V MAX” is the battery’s peak voltage with no load; under work it runs at about 18V. Compare the test results, not the number on the box.

Do I need a hammer drill?
Only for brick, concrete or masonry. Hammer mode pounds the bit while it spins. For wood, drywall and furniture, a regular drill/driver is lighter and easier to handle.

Read next

• Best backyard pizza ovens: what testers found
• Gerzsi’s Gift Finder: tested gifts by budget
• Black Friday watch list: tested picks worth waiting for

Sources

• Bob Vila — The Best Cordless Drills, Tested (13 drills, updated Nov 2025)
• Bob Vila — The Best Cordless Drills Under $100 (6 drills, updated Feb 2026)
• Pro Tool Reviews — Best Cordless Drills Head-to-Head (9 hammer drills, updated Feb 2026)